Footwear

ABSTRACT

FOOTWEAR OF THE KINK HAVING A TREAD EXTEND AT THE BACK TO FORM A HEEL END PORTION OF THE UPPER ARE MADE FROM MOULDED COMPONENTS COMPRISING INTEGRAL TREAD AND REAR PORTIONS WITH BORDERS FLANGED AND GROOVED FOR UPPER ATTACHMENT.

Filed Aug. 19, 1969 June 8, 1971 E. v. WAGNER 3,583,@8@

FOOTWEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 8, 1971 v, WAGNER 3,583,080

FOOTWEAR Filed Aug. 19, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet z FIGL United States Patent ()1 ice 3,583,080 Patented June 8, 1971 3,583,080 FOOTWEAR Ernest V. Wagner, 6 Corfu, Chaddesley Glen, Saudbanks, Dorset, England Filed Aug. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 551,247 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 25, 1968, 3,984/68; Aug. 22, 1968, 40,146/68 Int. Cl. A43b 9/10 US. Cl. 36-16 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Footwear of the kind having a tread extended at the back to form a heel end portion of the upper are made from moulded components comprising integral tread and rear portions with borders flanged and grooved for upper attachment.

This invention relates to shoes or boots and like articles of footwear which may be either of conventional shape, with a projecting heel, or of a shape, known for childrens shoes and also for automobile drivers shoes, in which a full-length sole, 'or tread, is extended at the back to form a rounded heel and an integral heel end portion of the upper.

The present invention provides an improved integral tread and heel end upper component for footwear.

The invention will be described as applied to shoes but the term shoe is intended to include, Where the context is appropriate, any corresponding article of footwear, such as a boot, sandal or slipper.

According to the invention, a shoe or other footwear component consists of a one-piece moulding, of an elastomeric plastics or like material, comprising a tread portion, shaped as or equivalent to a sole and heel or full-length sole, and a rear portion, forming a heel end upper portion or a counter, the two portions being moulded integrally with a substantially right-angle turn at the rear of the tread portion, the border of the component along the sides and round the toe of the tread portion being moulded to a stepped cross-sectional shape, in the form of an integral rib or flange or a groove, for the attachment of one or more footwear upper parts.

In the case of the rear portion of the moulded component forming a heel end upper portion, no additional upper part is required around the back of the heel and the rear ends of the sides of an upper can be secured to the sides of the heel end upper portion of the moulded component.

In the case of the rear portion forming a counter, the counter may be internal, as a lining or stiffener, or external and a portion or portions of the upper may extend externally or internally around the counter and be secured thereto.

A footwear component in accordance with the invention offer advantages both in manufacture and use. By moulding the rear portion integrally with the tread portion. the ditficulty is avoided of forming a heel end upper part or incorporating a counter in making-up of a shoe, the inside surface of the shoe below and at the back of the heel can be smoothly shaped for comfortable fitting and the shape of the shoe at and around the heel does not rely on the way in which the upper is made-up and attached. In other words, the basic shape of the shoe as regards the important tread and heel end upper or counter portions is determined by a one-piece moulding which can have a smooth inside surface of any required shape and the upper can be designed to serve only its purpose of covering the upper part of the foot without the final form of the shoe being dependent on making-up of the upper.

By the provision of the moulded component with an integral rib or flange or with a groove, attachment of the upper is facilitated and provision may be made for upper attachment by either or both adhesive and stitching.

The invention is illustrated by way of example on the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows in part-sectional perspective a moulded component for a childs shoe and part of an upper secured thereto,

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a moulded component for a shoe of conventional sole-and-heel shape,

FIG. 3 is a further similar view of a moulded component in which the rear end portion is an internal counter, and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-section through one form of joint between a moulded component and an upper.

The moulded component of the shoe shown by FIG. 1 has a tread portion 1 and rear portion 2, in the form of a heel end upper portion, merging together through a smooth substantially right-angled bend 3 at the back of the heel.

The border of the moulded component is formed to stepped cross-sectional shape by an integral flange 4 and also a groove 5 extending close to the edge around the toe and along the sides up to the top of the heel end upper portion 2.

An upper 6 is secured, by either or both adhesive and stitching, to the flange 4 and with the edge of the upper material concealed in the groove 5'.

In the shoe illustrated by FIG. 1, the upper is formed integrally with an ankle strap 7 but this is only by way of example and it will be apparent that any form of upper, such as of a shoe, boot or sandal type, may be used.

The moulded component of the shoe shown by FIG. 2 is basically similar to that of FIG. 1, corresponding parts having the same reference numerals, but the tread portion 1 is moulded with a conventional projecting heel 8 and the upper 9 is of tie up shape with a tongue 10. The heel end upper portion 2 could be covered or lined so that it also serves as a stiffening counter.

FIG. 3 is an example of a shoe in which the rear portion 2 of the moulded component forms an internal counter into which the flange 4 merges so that the stepped cross-sectional shape is formed by the flange 4 around the tread border and by a surface of the portion 2 meeting the tread portion around the heel. The portion 2 is covered by a part 11 of the upper 12 extending around the back of the heel from side seams 13. The upper part 11 could of course have a middle seam at the back of the heel.

In the shoe of FIG. 3, only the step, formed by the flange 4 and the counter 2, is provided for attachment of the upper, the groove 5 being omitted, and the edge 14 of the upper is turned outwardly to lie on the margin of the moulded component to which it is stitched, as indicated at 15.

Around the back of the counter 2, the upper part 11 need only be adhesively secured to the outer surface of the counter and thus edge-seaming of the lower edge of the upper around the back of the heel is saved.

Another form of edge joint, which may be used for any form of the moulded component and shoe upper, is illustrated by FIG. 4 in which a groove 16, around the underside of the margin of the moulded component, is provided to serve as a sewing machine guide step, to facilitate location of the line of stitching 15, and also protect the stitching in wear.

In addition, the moulded component has an integral peripheral bead 17 which masks the edge 14 of the upper to provide a neat finish.

The moulded component may be made from any of the elastomeric materials now available for moulded footwear components, for example rubber or rubber-like materials, artificialleathers or plastics such as polyvinyl chloride.

Instead of using adhesive, joints may be welded when one or both components to be joined together is made of or incorporates a suitable thermoplastic material, e.g. polyvinyl chloride.

Also, at a joint between the moulded component and an upper, an additional strip of material may be provided as a filling, binding or masking strip. For example, such a strip may be inserted along a groove to cover the edge of the upper, particularly around the tread portion of the moulded component.

I claim:

1. A footwear component consisting of a one-piece moulding of an elastomeric material and comprising a tread portion and a rear portion, said portions being integral through a substantially right-angled turn at the rear of the tread portion, said rear portion forming a heel end upper portion and the border of said component, along the sides and around the toe of the tread portion and along the side borders of the rear portion, being moulded to a stepped cross-sectional shape for attachment of a footwear upper.

2. A footwear component according to claim 1, said stepped cross-sectional shape having the form of a flange and a groove and, in combination therewith, an upper secured to the flange with the edge of the upper concealed in the groove.

3. A footwear component according to claim 1, in which the border of said tread portion has a peripheral bead and, in combination with said component, an upper secured thereto with the edge of said upper around said tread portion concealed by said bead.

' 4. A footwear component consisting of a one-piece moulding of an elastomeric material and comprising a tread portion and a rear portion, said portions being integral through a substantially right-angled turn at the rear of the tread portion, said rear portion forming a counter, the border of said tread portion, along the sides and around the toe thereof, being moulded to a stepped cross-sectional shape and a surface of said counter forming, with said tread portion, a stepped cross-sectional shape, said stepped cross-sectional shapes forming means for attachment of a footwear upper to said component.

5. A footwear component according to claim 4, said moulded stepped cross-sectional shape of the border of said tread portion having an upstanding flange merging into said counter.

6. A footwear component according to claim 5 and, in combination therewith, an upper secured to the border of said tread portion and to said counter.

7. A footwear component according to claim 6, in which the border of said tread portion has a peripheral bead masking an edge of said upper around the border of said tread portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,558 1/1924 Kelly 36-16 1,959,792 5/1934 Kiely 3616 2,383,585 8/1945 Bindner 3616 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,244,802 7/1959 France 362.5(F)

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

